William Steele, London, to Mary Steele, Broughton, [Thursday] 14 August 1777.

   My Dear Maria’s Letter which I rec’d Monday gave me inexpressible pleasure in bringing welcome tidings of the Welfare of my belov’d Family, & I need not mention how acceptable a Letter wou’d be every post.

   Tuesday Mr Dun called on us & carried us in his Coach to his elegant Villa at Dulwich, where we enjoy’d a pleasing retirement in the Society of his amiable Family & in the evening return’d by the same conveyance.  I will not tell you how much they were pleas’d with Danebury &c, but only that Mr Dun read it as Poetry ought to be read & that they all seem’d to enjoy it in the true enthusiasm of Poetry, and I assure you we were delighted with the friendly reception we found as well as with the usual elegance of the place.

   We are this day going to dine with Dr Stennet at Mussel Hill about five miles out of Town beyond Highgate & tomorrow I have promis’d Mr Dilly to dine with him tho’ I cant say I have much inclination to it, as I presently found that nothing can be done with him about Sisters Books. “The Poems are very good some of them sublime, but Poetry sells the worst of any works, because there are but few that read it or indeed understand it” – true enough indeed, & he never got any thing by all the publications he has made of it since he has been a Bookseller except one which is Beaty’s Minstrel.– I think there is no other Way of publishing Sister’s Works but as done before by taking the whole on our Selves for the Booksellers will run no risques. – Mr Dilly just cast a cursory View over Danebury &c (for I wou’d not leave it with him) & propos’d to print it for me while I am in Town on my saying I should Like to have it printed tho’ not for Sale, he said he cou’d print 250 Copies for 5£ on a small paper & offer’d to shew it to Mr Scott but I (you may be sure) declin’d it.  He talks of Poetry like a Man of Trade that knows no more of it than belongs to his business, “there are pretty thoughts in it & tis above Mediocrity &c.”

   Mr Dun wou’d fain have had it left with him & he would shew it to Mr Hoole & Mr Scott both, but I told him I could not leave it behind me on any Acct.

   We were at Vaux Hall Monday evening & were entertain’d very agreeably ’tis greatly alter’d since I was there last but I think not for the better as ’tis further from Nature. – My Attendance on Mr Berdmore is very disagreeable, but I hope to get thro’ it this Week tho’ how well it will succeed I cannot yet know.

   We continue thro Divine Goodness to enjoy our health, the hot Weather is very burthensome, & the horrible Noises all Night not less so, but we must bear it as well as we can.

   I hope for another Letter from you by next Post which I suppose will be the last till we are at Pershore.

   May the best Blessings of an indulgent Providence attend my dear Family, and all our Hearts be grateful for the Mercies we enjoy. – We join in our affectionate remembrances of every one especially your Aunt who (we should rejoice to hear) of being a little tho but a little reliev’d from her great pains.

                     I remn My Dr Polly’s tender & affect. Far

                                         Wm Steele

London Aug 14th 1777

Text: Steele Collection, STE 4/5/liii, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Postmark illegible.  Address: Miss Steele / Broughton near / Stockbridge / Hants. For an annotated text of this letter, see Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, vol. 3, pp. 277-78. 

Samuel Stennett (1727-95) succeeded his father, Joseph Stennett (1792-1758), as minister to the Baptist congregation at Little Wild Street, London, where he served until his death in 1795. The Stennetts were known for their wealth, and the younger Stennett’s stately home in fashionable Muswell Hill, in north London, bespeaks his social standing. Like Anne Steele, Samuel Stennett was a hymnwriter of some note. The Duns may have been members of his church. The poets James Beattie (1735-1803), John Scott (1730-83), and John Hoole (1727-1803) were apparently regular visitors to Dilly's establishment in the Poultry.